Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first conveyance driving unit, a second conveyance driving unit, an image forming unit, a tag communication unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms the image with respect to the sheet conveyed through the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The tag communication unit writes data or reads data to a wireless tag of the sheet located in the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The control unit reads the data from the wireless tag of the sheet after writing the data to the wireless tag, and determines whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the read data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a first conveyance driving component configured to convey a sheet to which a wireless tag is attached in a first conveyance path for forming a first image on a first surface of the sheet;   a second conveyance driving component configured to convey the sheet in a second conveyance path for forming a second image on a second surface of the sheet;   an image forming component configured to form the first image with respect to the first surface of the sheet conveyed through the first conveyance path or the second image on the second surface of the sheet conveyed through the second conveyance path;   a tag communication component configured to write data or read data with respect to the wireless tag of the sheet located in the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path; and   a controller configured to read the data from the wireless tag of the sheet after writing the data to the wireless tag of the sheet in the first conveyance path and to determine whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the read data.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller reads the data from the wireless tag of the sheet located in the first conveyance path after writing the data to the wireless tag of the sheet in the first conveyance path, and then reads the data from the wireless tag of the sheet located in the second conveyance path, and determines whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the data read in the first conveyance path and the data read in the second conveyance path.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the tag communication component is installed in a location closer to the second conveyance path than an area in which the sheet to which the wireless tag is attached is located and which is different from the second conveyance path.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an output component configured to output information in a manner recognizable by a user, wherein   the controller outputs, from the output component, information indicating the sheet to which the wireless tag is attached if it is determined that the data was not normally written to the wireless tag if a plurality of the sheets was processed continuously.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller has an ordinary sheet mode and a wireless tag sheet mode.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the ordinary sheet mode, the controller picks up the sheet to be processed from a sheet feed cassette, conveys the picked-up sheet, and forms an image on the sheet by fixing a toner image by a fixing device, and discharges the sheet.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the wireless tag sheet mode, the controller picks up a wireless tag sheet from a sheet feed cassette, conveys the picked-up wireless tag sheet, and performs a writing process on the wireless tag sheet.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 in the wireless tag sheet mode, the controller then performs a first reading process on the wireless tag sheet, fixing a toner image by a fixing device, conveys the wireless tag sheet in which the toner image is formed, and performs a second reading process.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wireless tag unit controller that controls a reading component and a writing component.   
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wireless tag unit controller is configured to communicate with the controller.   
     
     
         11 . An image forming method by an image forming apparatus including: a first conveyance driving component configured to convey a sheet to which a wireless tag is attached in a first conveyance path for forming a first image on a first surface of the sheet; a second conveyance driving component configured to convey the sheet in a second conveyance path for forming a second image on a second surface of the sheet; an image forming component configured to form the first image with respect to the first surface of the sheet conveyed through the first conveyance path or the second image on the second surface of the sheet conveyed through the second conveyance path; and a tag communication component configured to write data or read data with respect to the wireless tag of the sheet that is located in the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path, the image forming method comprising:
 writing the data to the wireless tag of the sheet in the first conveyance path;   reading the data from the wireless tag of the sheet; and   determining whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the read data.   
     
     
         12 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 reading the data from the wireless tag of the sheet located in the first conveyance path after writing the data to the wireless tag of the sheet in the first conveyance path;   then reading the data from the wireless tag of the sheet located in the second conveyance path; and   determining whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the data read in the first conveyance path and the data read in the second conveyance path.   
     
     
         13 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the tag communication component is installed in a location closer to the second conveyance path than an area in which the sheet to which the wireless tag is attached is located and which is different from the second conveyance path.   
     
     
         14 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 outputting information in a manner recognizable by a user; and   outputting information indicating the sheet to which the wireless tag is attached if it is determined that the data was not normally written to the wireless tag if a plurality of the sheets was processed continuously.   
     
     
         15 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the controller has an ordinary sheet mode and a wireless tag sheet mode.   
     
     
         16 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in the ordinary sheet mode, picking up the sheet to be processed from a sheet feed cassette, conveying the picked-up sheet, and forming an image on the sheet by fixing a toner image by a fixing device, and discharging the sheet.   
     
     
         17 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in the wireless tag sheet mode, picking up a wireless tag sheet from a sheet feed cassette, conveying the picked-up wireless tag sheet, and performing a writing process on the wireless tag sheet.   
     
     
         18 . The image forming method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 in the wireless tag sheet mode, performing a first reading process on the wireless tag sheet, fixing a toner image by a fixing device, conveying the wireless tag sheet in which the toner image is formed, and performing a second reading process.   
     
     
         19 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 controlling a reading component and a writing component.   
     
     
         20 . The image forming method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 communicating with the controller using a wireless tag unit controller.